the current economic recession, we must all be vigilant
in identifying and ministering to the lonely among us.
In 1 Kings 19, the Bible details an incident in
the life of the Prophet Elijah that sheds some light on
the issue of loneliness and how it can be alleviated
through Christian fellowship. Elijah found himself
fleeing from Jezebel, the idolatrous wife of King Ahab,
who had promised to take his life within twenty four
hours. Alone in a cave, he became convinced that the
entire nation was on Jezebel’s side. Consequently, he
succumbed to depression and despair and pleaded
with God to take his life. His despair may well have
turned tragic but for the direct intervention of the Lord
who comforted him with the revelation that there were
seven thousand others in Israel who were on his side.
The Prophet Elijah was an Israelite, yet he experienced
loneliness and despair so deep that he saw death as
his only alternative and would have died but for the
manifest presence of God who reminded him that he
was not alone. With loneliness came the threat of
death but with fellowship with God and other believers
came the gift of life.
Beloved, it is possible for people to be lonely
in the midst of festive worship in crowded churches. It
is possible for people to be lonely even after they get
married and have children. It is possible for children to
be lonely in their parents’ homes
and in crowded schools. But
loneliness can be overcome with
fellowship. Let us reach out with
the love of God and remind our
brothers and sisters that they are
not alone.

At the recently-concluded convention of the Joint Ethnic
African Baptist Churches of Texas (JEABCOT), much
time was spent exploring the concept of fellowship as
laid out in the Holy Bible. It was a great blessing to
participate in the convention and be taught the Word
of God as it relates to this crucial issue.
However, I write to you today about an aspect
of fellowship that received little attention during the
convention, and that is the importance of fellowship in
the amelioration of loneliness in the local church.
Some might wonder how anyone could be lonely in the
midst of our festive worship services and all the social
functions that we attend. However, a close
examination will probably reveal pockets of loneliness
even in the midst of our crowded and festive churches.
Loneliness is possible in the church when a
person who lacks the inner joy that only intimate
fellowship with God can provide, looks for joy in the
things of the world and meets with disappointment.
When money, career, beauty, social status and the like
fail to satisfy, the person feels disconnected from other
believers and even comes to view their expressions of
joy in worship and fellowship as unrealistic and
pretentious. These feelings often become worse during
economic crises when marital, family, financial and
career difficulties always seem to increase. Left
unaddressed, they drive people into deep
distress, depression and despair which can
even lead to suicidal thoughts or acts of
violence against others. Given the Love,
severe stress that many are under in Pastor Effiom

Men of UCF Be Strong and Courageous..................pg2
Don't Accept The Status Quo!..................................pg2
What Does Fellowship Look Like in The Home?.....pg3
What‘s behind YOUR scenes?...................................pg4
Where do you (want to) go from here?...................pg 4

Free Yourself From The Past!...............................pg5
What you eat matters............................................pg5
Using our resources to earn extra income............pg6
Why Christians Should pray for Israel..................pg7
Baptism.................................................................pg 8
UCF is on Facebook................................................................ .pg 12

Men of UCF Be Strong and Courageous
While I understand that there are good reasons why a father may
not be in a home due to death, terminal illness, active duties in
the army and some other good reasons, I strongly believe, that
God’s plan is for a Christian home to be run by men, when I say
men, I also mean the husband. I am talking about the men of
UCF. Men who are after God’s own heart.
God truly intends for you to be the head of your household and
you should look unto God to enable you fulfill your Christian
responsibilities to your family. Your wife cannot go too far in her
desire to have a Christian home without you. It is not as difficult
as you think to love UCF women, just love us as Christ loves the
church………
Some men make the mistake that women need to be showered
with gifts and money, while a woman may not refuse the gift or
money, trust me, gifts and money only goes so far in fulfilling the
desires of a woman. Showing you care and cherishing a woman
goes much further. Helping the children with homework while
your wife gets her hair done, taking the trash out knowing it is too
heavy for your wife to carry, filling up your wives car with gas at
the beginning of the week so that she does not have to stop at the
Gas Station are small little gestures that goes a long way in

showing that you care. . The Lord wants you to rule your home
with love as Christ loves the Church, The Bibles says, He who
loves his wife loves his own body for no one ever hated his own
flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it….………
The economy is tough and possibly you are not in the job that you
think you should have at this stage of your life or your business is
not going according to plan, the question is, does that make you
less of a man? Be strong and courageous, Let your sufficiency be
in the Lord because according to Philippians 4.13. And my God
shall supply all your needs according to his riches in Glory by
Christ Jesus.
Do not allow the circumstances of
the economy to turn your home
away from the will of GOD.
Trust in the Lord.

Biola Adesulu, RPh

Don't Accept The Status Quo!
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that i
have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing:
therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live
(Deuteronomy 30:19)

For example, you might have been born into a family where the
normal progression is for the members to grow up poor, and
then pass the same trend to their children. But when you learn
from the Word that you've received an inexhaustible inheritance;
based on this information from God's Word, you should
Its important for you to know that you have a choice in life. You declare, "I refuse to be poor! I'm an heir of God and a joint-heir
dont have to accept what life hands out to you or settle for with Christ! I dwell in prosperity!" That way, you've chosen to
mediocrity: don't accept the status quo. The Holy Spirit, who is alter the existing state of affairs; you've rejected the status quo.
the power of God has come into your life and brought into you
the dynamic ability to cause changes! If the circumstances of The Bible says "be not conformed to this world: but be ye
your life don't favour you in any way, you can change them! As transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2);
a matter of fact, no one else can change them but you!
refuse the status quo! Use
the Word of God as your
What are the thoughts that fill your mind when you hear the standard, and chart a
Word? Some think the Word of God is too extravagant and different course for your
unrealistic hence they miss their blessing for not accepting the life. That's how i live, and
Word. When your heart is dominated by your senses, it'll be very i recommend that you do
difficult to see the visions of God as the Word comes to you. This the same. (1 John 4:4)
is why someone can come into church for service and leave
without being affected by the Word.
BRO. MITCHEL CHUKSOKONTA.

ucf page 2

What Does Fellowship Look Like in The Home?
This

question was a topic of discussion
during the JEABCOT convention, and I
believe the reason was because there are
many Christian families that lack fellowship
in their homes. Is it because people don’t
understand that “fellowship” means the
association of people who share common
beliefs or activities? “No!” Is it because
people don’t understand that home is where
you live or dwell at a particular time? “No!”
I believe the issue is that people really don’t
understand
what
God
says
about
“fellowship” in the home. One of the best
passages of scripture that gives insight on
Christian character is Galatians 5:22-23.
This scripture tells us that Christian character
is produced by the Holy Spirit and not by our
self-effort. If we follow the Master’s plan for
“fellowship”, then we will see better results
in our homes.
Now, let’s see how we can apply
this truth to our 21st Century lives. First, we
must allow God to be the gardener in our
homes. If He is the gardener, then the Holy
Spirit controls our actions and God is able to
take away all the weeds that hinder
fellowship in the home. We know that weeds
hinder the growth of a garden because they
sometimes outgrow and overwhelm the
plants, depriving them of much-needed
moisture. Well, you might ask, “What are the
weeds in our lives?” and I would say that the
main weed in our lives is sin. Sin consumes
for our time and usually leaves us with not
enough time for the things of God. Sin tries
to overpower the good in our lives and
deprives us of the ability to think logically.
Sin also stifles our growth and fellowship as
a family. You might ask, “Will we ever get
rid of sin?” and I would ask, “Does a

gardener ever get rid of weeds?” The answer
is “no.” The gardener may remove the weeds
for a while, but they keep coming back.
Well, that is the same way sin is in our lives;
it keeps coming back. I’m so thankful for the
presence of the Holy Spirit who indwells
every believer and works to remove those
things that are not of God. Through him,
steps are made that lead to oneness with the
Father, oneness with our spouses, family
togetherness and fellowship in the home.
Once you have humbled yourself to
the Gardener, and He has sent the Holy Spirit
to dwell in you, then you have a
responsibility to plant these different types of
seeds needed to nurture a spiritually healthy
home rooted in the things of God. The first
seed is faithfulness to God. Faithfulness is
the ability to keep a commitment, and in your
home, it should be known that no matter what
obstacles, storms, problems may arise; you
will stand and serve the God Almighty. As
stated in Romans 8:35, nothing should ever
separate you from the love of God.
Faithfulness to God should be displayed
daily. The second seed is the practice of
gentleness, which is love. Sometimes it’s
necessary to replace harshness and
snappiness with the ability to listen, give
constructive feedback and pray when
mistakes are made. The third seed is the
practice of sharing – the willingness to share
with our spouses and children sacrificially
even when we think they do not deserve it.
Did God not share His son with us even
though we were not worthy of him? The
fourth seed is the practice of rewarding and
complimenting our spouses and children
when they do well. Too many homes are full
of criticism and rebuke instead of

encouragement and praise. When the
atmosphere is always negative, nothing good
can come out of it. The sixth seed is the
practice of peace. It is important to show
how to solve problems God’s way as stated in
Matthew 18: 15-17. The way of God is the
way of grace and mercy but the way of the
world is attack and abuse. The sixth seed is
the joy of the Lord. Whatever you do, let
your family see the joy of the Lord in you.
If you haven’t noticed already, the
seeds you are planting are the “fruit of the
Spirit” as stated in Galatians 5:22-23. So if
you want fellowship in your home, you must
allow the Holy Spirit under the authority of
the head gardener, God, to remove the weeds
and create in you His fruit. This fruit will
blossom into a home that flourishes in love,
joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control which brings
about fellowship. Once you have established
fellowship, then you will become a family
that is humble, a family that gives God glory
for everything He has done to and through
you. Your family will develop a strength that
is not easily
broken.
If
you let God
lead
your
family, then
your family
will have a
strong
fellowship

Sis . Kim Effiom

Deacon Kenny Dada is the Deacon-in-Charge of
Worship at United Christian Fellowship of Arlington. He
is gifted in music ministry and singing, and currently
serves as President of the Adult Choir and member of
the Finance Committee and Church Planning Council.
In addition to the above, he is actively involved in
member visitation. He is the owner of a travel agency in
Arlington, Texas. He and his wife, Kunmi, are the proud
parents of four children – Nikki, Eniola, Wale and
Damilola.

ucf page 3

From prayer to praise, worship to preaching, our annual youth
revival was packed full of opportunity to hear God speak. I brought my 5
year old cousin with me to the revival and upon entering the car on the
way home, she asked, “what’s that song yall sang that went Hallelujah, all
the glory, Hallelujah, all the praise?” After singing a majority of the songs
we sang over the several days, she said, “yeah, yeah that’s the one! Do
you have it at your house?” to “YAWEH” by Mali Music. I played it for her
when we got home; she wanted to dance, “like those girls [ UCF’s praise
dancers] were”. As I watched my cousin dance and heard her replay the
song nearly 20 times; God revealed to me that even though you’re only
truly performing for an audience of One, others are watching. So, I put my
heart into everything I do for Him and truly believe that when praises go
up, blessings come down.
Nicolette dada

The experience I had during the youth revival was
amazing. It was another successful week for our
youth being able to fellowship among other
churches and most importantly hearing the word of
God. The worship was incredible. God’s presence
met us each day. We are very grateful to God for
allowing us to have a powerful service.

The youth revival theme was “What’s behind your scenes” meaning what
life do you have outside of church. Are you the same person Monday
morning while you’re at school amongst your peers? Do you portray a
Christ-like image on a daily basis? Our guest speaker Rev. Brown spoke
on this very subject reading Psalms 1 which starts of talking of a blessed
man does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly. Giving our youth a
charge to go back to school and walk in God’s direction and not of the
worlds. He continued to bless us with his teaching the rest of the revival
and we thank him for his service.
Lemuel Okogbodu

WHERE DO YOU (WANT TO) GO FROM HERE?
“When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as
In this verse of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he points out
a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away to the Church not only the inevitability of growing up but the
childish things.” 1 Corinthians 13: 11 (NKJV)
necessity of growing up well. You can age and be none the wiser;
worse, you can grow in size and title and be a know-nothing. While
One certainty in this life is that we will not remain who or God has called us to be separate from the world (John 15:19), while
where we are forever. While we are all children in the eyes of our we are still in it, there are a few things we can learn from it. This is
Father, we are, among our fellow men, grandparents, parents, young not to say that the ways of the world are necessary to our walk of
adults, children and infants. In as much as we all read the same bible, faith. They are not (Proverbs 14: 12). Indeed, there are numerous
pray the same prayers, sing the same praises and hear the same Word, things that the world does not prohibit that God hates. For example,
there are different expectations for all of us. God wants us to know God resists the proud (1 Peter 5:5), but this is not an offense in the
that as we mature in life and in our walk of faith, more is expected of eyes of man; on the contrary, you may even be rewarded with your
Contd page 11....
us and more is to be done by us.
own reality show.

ucf page 4

Free Yourself From The Past!
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one That so-called past that you sometimes remember doesn't exist,
thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and because your old nature, the old you- everything about your life
reaching forth unto those things which are before (Philippians before you were born again are completely passed away. So
3:13)
never let your memories of the past hold you back.
As we enjoy the third edition of UCF Quarterly, I'm certainly
grateful to the Lord and His Church. One of the very important
lessons to learn from the apostle Paul is his attitude to memories
of the past; he said: "...this one thing I do, forgetting those things
which are behind.....". Prior to his conversion, he prosecuted,
imprisoned and even consented to the murder of believers. He
was injurious to the Church. Hence if there were anyone who
qualified as it were to be mentally and emotionally traumatized
by his past, it should have been him! But he never allowed
himself to be limited or hindered by the memories of his past.
He had come to realize that the memories of the past weren't
worth holding onto compared to the greater future he had in
God.

Do what Paul says: FORGET the past and PRESS ON into your
glorious future in Christ! No matter how often and for how long
you brood over the past, you can't change it, so don't expend
your time and energy on on it. Your future is greater than your
past! How do i know? Because the Bible says "The path of the
just is as the shining light that shines brighter and brighter unto
the perfect day" (Proverbs 4:18). As a Christian, your story ought
to be upward and forward only; you're born to go from one level
of glory to another.

Hello UCF!
It is no secret that in our culture, you are divided into 2
categories: RICE LOVER or FUFU LOVER. Now, although I am
a fan of both delicacies, I like to classify myself as a member of
Team FuFu (like father, like daughter!). No disrespect to those
on Team Rice, but when coming home from college, I look
forward to sitting down to a plate of hot pounded yam and a
large bowl of ogbono soup! Below are some simple suggestions:

cups of the oats into fine flour and proceed in the same manner
as you would for the traditional dish. This again is healthier
because it has fewer carbohydrates and also it actually increases
your dietary fiber. In regards to the soup, again use more lean
meats such as chicken/fish and most importantly decrease the
amount of palm oil used.

So if your past doesn't inspire you, dump it! It may seem difficult
at first, but remember
that as a child of God,
nothing is impossible
This is the same attitude you ought to have as a child of God. unto you. Be encouraged
Too many are enslaved by the memories of their past. They folks.
could be cheerful one moment and depressed the next, all
because they remembered something of their past life they
considered unpleasant. That shouldn't be. Learn to free yourself BRO. MITCHEL CHUKSfrom the past. The Bible says, "If any man be in Christ, he is a OKONTA.
new creature; old things are passed away" (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Now, let me make this disclaimer: just because you are eating
a healthier form of rice/fufu does not mean that you can double
your portion size! Portion control is a major issue in our
community, so we will discuss this in the next quarterly printout.
Farewell for now UCF
and remember that
BROWN is always better
than WHITE!

To the RICE LOVERS: try substituting white rice for brown rice.
It may seem different at first, but the benefits of brown rice
outweigh those of white.
The brown rice has fewer
carbohydrates, which is better digested by our bodies and
therefore leads to less fat build up. Also adding a cup of frozen
mixed veggies helps (regardless if the kids like it or not). In
regards to the stew, try using less beef and more lean meats
such as chicken/fish.
God bless,
Valerie Emuakhagbon
To the FUFU LOVERS: try substituting the usual white flour for
something healthier. I would suggest oatmeal fufu. It sounds
odd, but it tastes amazing and has become a staple in our
kitchen. It is easy and probably cheaper, as you can use the
same oatmeal that is used for breakfast. You just blend a few

ucf page 5

God wants Christians to take the responsibility of providing for
their material needs and those of their families. The book of 2nd
Thessalonians 3:10 states this as a commandment-“Even when
we were with you, we commanded you this, if anyone of you will
not work, neither shall he eat”.

you considered opening a school to teach how to be a better
cook? If you like real estate and do not have the credit or the
cash to invest, have you thought about tapping into helping
reduce your neighbors property values and you get
compensated for a percentage you help them save on their
property taxes? If you enjoy cleaning, you may market to
I would like to share some key principles of effective business businesses that need janitorial services. If you love make-ups,
leadership that I believe are necessary to effectively use your have you considered becoming a Mary Kay consultants? If you
current God given resources to make extra income.
love computers, have you considered computer repairs or
network? Love car, have you thought of buying and selling cars
1. The first step is to proactively do a self evaluation, you must on ebay or craigs list? the lists goes on and on.
make a distinct decision whether you want to make extra income
or not. Your answer will determine if you will begin to look at 5.
When you market your services to friends and community
resources available to you right now to maximize your business at large, always seek to understand their needs first before you
opportunities.
present your services. It makes your marketing effort a lot easier.
a.
Think of what you love to do. Something that you will be
willing to do even if you were not paid, does it meet the NEED 6.
If your services require more skilled individuals to perform
of the people in your community, state or country? If so, you a task, e.g. construction, please step out of your comfort zone
have a business opportunity.
to hire people to get the job done right.
b.
If you do not know what you enjoy (hobby) doing, I
encourage you to start looking at businesses, recreation 7.
You must consistently review your progress and make
activities around you or search the internet for business ideas necessary changes that will align you with your business and
that might interest you.
spiritual objectives. Always keep in mind the end result that you
had envisioned.
2.
When you have decided on the business venture you are
going to embark on, you must begin with the end in mind. 8.
When I think of our desires to earn extra income using our
Assuming everything works out right, picture your business in resources, the bible story of the talents came to mind – (Matt.
maybe 10 years from now. Begin with the end in mind, it will 25:14-30). It reminds me that God measures our success not
encourage and sustain you when passing through the buy what we have, but by what we do with what we have - for
challenges of business ownership.
all that we have is a gift from Him. We are only managers to
whom He has entrusted resources and responsibilities. Good
3.
Do the first thing first, pick a business name in alignment luck on your quest to use your resources to make extra income.
with your values, a name you will be comfortable marketing to Website for business references in
your prospective clients, register the business with the county Texas-http://www.sba.gov/
office if sole proprietorship or the state in Austin if LLC/ index.html.
corporation, make sure you seek legal counsel to determine the Remember, God is abundantly
business formation that is most suitable for your business model able to do great things through
to limit your tax liabilities etc.
you, He is doing it everyday, let
today be your day. PUSH-pray
4.
Think win-win, begin to formalize a business plan in until something happens.
alignment with your hobby, think of the way your business can
meet the needs of your clients while in return you get paid for Stay blessed In The Lord,
delivering services/products that meets their need. Example: if
you love to drive, have you thought of opening a driver’s Kola Thorpe
education school? If you love music, have you thought about
opening a business to teach music? If you enjoy cooking, have

During a recent Bible Study, someone asked
why we as a church engage in the practice
of praying for Israel. The question seemed
to resonate among those in attendance,
prompting my decision to provide a more
comprehensive response for the benefit of
the entire congregation. I am hopeful that it
sheds light on the issue and provides us not
only with a better understanding but, more
importantly, a greater commitment to 2.
praying for Israel personally and
corporately.

1.

In
, God promised that He
would bless those who bless Abraham
and his seed. The children of Israel are
the descendants of Abraham. We pray
for them because we believe that God's
promise regarding them was not timelimited and still stands.

2.

In
, David charges Israel
to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and
states:
David's charge affirms the
blessing of God upon those who pray
for Jerusalem. In this case, David
points not to the people but to the
place. We pray for Israel - the place in view of God's promised blessing.

3.
1.

In
, the Apostle Paul
laments the fact that Israel is not saved
and expresses his desire that she would
be saved. It is obvious that his lament
does not refer to a "spiritual" Israel but
to the nation. "Spiritual Israel", as the

Body of Christ is sometimes referred to,
brought to us the inestimable gift of
is by definition, already saved.
salvation, one can only wonder how
Consequently, Paul's lament cannot
much more God will reward us who
refer to her. We pray for the nation
work to bring Israel to obedience!! This
Israel desiring her salvation because it
is a great reason to pray for Israel.
is not the will of God that any should
perish. In this sense, we pray for the
The aforementioned are some biblical
nation even as we pray for all sinners. reasons why we as Christians should pray
for Israel. It is evident that God's plan for
In
, the Apostle Paul humankind includes special provisions for
gives us another reason to pray for the Israel as a nation. But these special
nation Israel that goes beyond our provisions in no way suggest that the nation
normal obligation to pray for sinners. of Israel is by any means more moral than
He reveals that God, in His infinite any other nation in the world or that we
wisdom, had used Israel to bring about should agree with all of her actions. It is
our salvation as non-Jews. Through possible to love Israel without agreeing with
them, He blessed us with the Holy everything that she does, just like we love
Prophets, the Holy Scriptures and, most our children without agreeing with
of all, a Savior in our Lord Jesus Christ. everything that they do. God loves Israel as
Moreover, when the Jews as a nation a nation but complained bitterly about her
rejected His son, He found occasion to conduct in much of the Old Testament.
turn to us Gentiles in the unfolding of
His plan to save humankind. Now that
In closing, we are to pray for Israel as
the salvation of God is the blessing of a matter of
the Gentiles, it is the plan of God to use in
(that we may obtain the
us to bring the nation of Israel back to promised blessings of God); in
Him. How? By provoking Israel to
jealousy as they witness the abundance and finally, for
of God's blessing upon the Gentiles,
who are but their "younger siblings" in
God's service. Praying for Israel as a
nation is in keeping with God's
revealed will to use us as instruments of
her salvation.
In Romans
, the Apostle
reaffirms the fact that Israel's blessing
leads to our blessing. He wonders, if
God has blessed us so greatly as a
result of Israel's rejection of Jesus
Christ, how much more God would
bless us if Israel were to be saved. If
Israel's disobedience of God has

On behalf of the sound engineering department, we
Congratulate Sister Gloria Omorodion for allowing
God to use her as the first lady to serve on the sound
engineering team at UCF. Our prayer is that God will
use her as a source of encouragement to the women
of our church as they deliberate on where and how to
be of service to the Lord.
Bro Big Emma
ucf page 7

Hebrews 6: 1-2; therefore let us leave the elementary
teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again
the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and
of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of
hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment
(NIV).
The understanding of the doctrine of baptisms is one of the
basics that should be clear in the frontal lobe of every Christian. And without a firm grasp of the Christian basics it will be
difficult to grow to spiritual maturity. Therefore, my thought
and prayer is that this information would challenge and motivate you in your Christian walk, and to fix right your scale of
values. Remember, the last time, we examined some principles, and as a method of inculcation, I will again remind you
of those spiritual blocks which I wrote in the previous UCF
newsletter publication. The six steps I enumerated in that last
newsletter are; the filling of the Holy Spirit, doctrinal orienta-

tion, humility, personal love for God the Father, impersonal
love for all human kind, and inner happiness. I call these, the
spiritual ladder leading to a prosperous life of fulfillment.
In this analysis, we will examine two aspects of the all-inclusive
benefits a believer receives at the moment of regeneration.
When the early church started on the day of Pentecost, for the
first time the disciples were not only indwelt by the Holy Spirit
they were also filled with the same Holy Spirit. Thus fulfilling
the prophecy of Christ in,

Our Lord repeated the same promise in

Contd page 9

ucf page 8

three hours on the cross, our Lord was screaming,

Every Christian must understand that there is a difference between the filling of the Holy Spirit and His indwelling presence.
The former is temporary while the later is permanent. The former is temporary because we still commit personal sins even
after we are saved. One act of sin: by thought, word, or deed,
takes a believer out of fellowship into carnality. However, because of the grace of God, if that sin is cited before God the
Father, the sin(s) is instantly forgiven. It is imperative that one
understand this plan of God if he is to execute his spiritual live
victoriously. Additionally, in the Essence of God, God is identified as Justice. This means that He never condones any act of
sin from us. But chooses how to discipline us if we fail to make
use of his divine operating assets.
Having said these, let us look more closely into the word,
“Baptism.” This word is a transliteration from Greek word,
“baptiso.” And it has two primary meanings: to change the
nature of something, and to identify something with its purpose. There are seven different kinds of baptisms in the Scripture. Four of them are real, while three others are ritual. I
believe by carefully meditating and understanding the differences in baptisms that leads to both indwelling and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. We will be better positioned to
appreciate and obey the command to confess our sins each
time we fail out of divine mandate. Remember, without spiritual growth there is no genuine Christian production. Consequently, no fruit of the Holy Spirit in time, then, in eternity,
carnal believer’s production will be evaluated as, wood, hay
and straw, instead of gold, silver, and precious stones. Now let
us see what the Scripture says about the seven baptisms.

First, in this real baptism, Moses is identified with the cloud,
that is Jesus Christ. And the Israelites are identified with Moses.
This means that the children of Israel accepted what God was
doing through Moses. And they received deliverance from slavery to freedom. That deliverance is a real baptism; a spiritual
change took place in their lives. However, they were not filled
nor indwelt by the Holy Spirit, because theirs was a different
dispensation. They passed through the Red Sea, and no one
was wet. That is to say, there was no immersion in water. Nevertheless, the real baptism has taken place in the realm of the
spirit (salvation) when they believed the gospel as it was revealed to them.

Since Deity cannot associate with sin; the Father turned his back on the
Son, no fellowship. This incident is the reason behind Christ
prayer before his arrest, trial, and condemnation. If it were
possible let this cup pass from him, but God’s plan for him
was the cross. Some Christian sufferings are part of God’s
plan for that believer, if he realizes it, happy is he.

Thirdly, at the moment of
hearing the gospel, if any one chose to accept the message,
the Holy Spirit will instantly dump the person into the body of
Christ. He is said to have been baptized, identified, or is in
union with Christ in his death, burial, resurrection, and session
at the right hand of God the Father. These are called retroactive and current positional truth. None of us was there that day
at Golgotha; nonetheless, we are identified with the work of
Christ by a simple non-meritorious act of faith.

The fourth, Prophet John the Baptist spoke of
two different types of baptisms; the believer’s baptism at the
moment of salvation, and the unbeliever’s baptism, at the second coming of Christ. The unbelievers will be removed from
the earth and sent to eternal lake of fire, this is a real baptism.
But this will happen in the future, exact time we do not know.
The baptism of fire signifies the removal of unbelievers from
the earth.
Lord

Matt.3:11, and
John’s water baptism to the Jewish believers was a picture of identification with Christ in his kingdom. This John’s baptism is similar
to what we Christians practice today after salvation. Apparently, these Old Testament believers have not heard of the coming of Christ.
Secondly, Matt.3:13-17; this is Christ’s water baptism by John,
which took place at the Jordan River. This water ritual is a picture of the real baptism of Christ on the cross. We often say
that Christ was identified with the sins of Israel. Christ had both
real and ritual baptisms. And we Christians also received two
baptisms, one real and the other, ritual.

Secondly the baptism of
the cross was where the sins of the entire human race were
poured out on the humanity of Christ, and the Lord was made
sin, he drank all sins. According to,
. The fellowship between Christ and his Father was temporarily shut down. For

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ucf page 9

Mens Retreat

CHURCH PICNIC

ucf page 10

Baptism continued from page 9

This is the Church age baptism, and it is the picture of our identification with Jesus Christ. It is an outward expression of an inward
change that has happened in our lives.
Without the real baptism there can never be the filling of the Holy
Spirit. Without the filling of the Holy Spirit there will not be anything like a believer functioning as an ambassador of Christ. Our
spiritual baptism is a means to an end, and not the end. You cannot graduate from college unless you first register with the School.
Your admission into an institution is a means to an end; and not
an end itself.
Without faith (doctrines) it is impossible to please God. Without
knowledge (illuminated knowledge from the Holy Spirit)
of the inerrant word of God and its correct application, we cannot
in practice experience the victory that overcomes the world. Just
as those list of names in the book of Hebrews eleven hall of fame
testifies.

about things, and the details of life? I want you to know that God
has placed you in this country for a purpose. A place where you
should have all vital information to enable you become truly successful. But remember, to whom much is given, much more is
expected. You are not here for
your own; you have been
saved to impact your world.
Be of good cheer, be strong,
and of good courage. The
greater one is in you than he
that is in the world. And you
shall reap the benefits of the
land. He will never leave you
nor forsake you. He says, “I
am with you always.”
Rev. Amechi Godson
;

Finally, do you want to walk in victory? Do you want to have selfconfidence, and spiritual self-esteem? Are you often worried

WHERE DO YOU (WANT TO) GO FROM HERE? Contd...

So how should we grow in the world while we are of the
Lord? The answer to this is not the same response to the question of
growing in the Lord while we are in the world. The latter requires
forgiveness of sins, being born of the Holy Spirit and faith in Christ.
On the other hand, to answer the former requires common sense,
which itself is not too far from the Word. As we inevitably grow in
life, we must decide if we want to mature along the way or “just go
with the flow.” A live fish can swim against the currents and navigate
its way around the river waters as it sees fit, but a dead fish will float
up to the surface and be carried wherever the river flows.
Some helpful points include the following:

that God cannot bring “hoop dreams” to fruition, if it is
what He has in store for you; it just means that we should
not put all our eggs in one basket thereby missing out on the
many options before us. Gone are the days when an
undergraduate degree would be more than enough to get by.
We now live in a global village that is becoming more
inter-connected by the day. Talent lies across multiple
borders and new wealth will seek out those skills wherever
they may be. Think of ways to differentiate yourself from
your peers. Don’t settle for just being average, it will only
get you far, if at all. It is wise to spend the extra time
learning new ways to tackle problems as it may very well
be the difference between getting ahead and getting along.

Plan for the future:
Boldly seek and seize opportunities:
No solider should go to war without a plan for battle. We
Faith works well when it is put into action. It is fruitless to
ought not take a careless (or carefree) approach to
know of opportunities and yet be timid to make a move.
tomorrow. Think of where you want to be five or ten years
Worse, it is categorically wrong to believe God for an
from now and work towards it. Are you a student or
opening and refuse to do anything to take advantage of it.
employee who wants to be at the top of your class or group?
Don’t let fear make you a default unbeliever. Many of
Thankfully, top performers are not two-headed aliens.
those who sought Jesus’ help for healing refused to be
They are like you and I, except that they put a lot of time
quieted by the multitudes, even if they could only touch the
and effort into doing everything well. Use your time wisely
hem of his garment. Seek the Lord’s counsel as you aspire
and cut back on things that won’t help you accomplish your
to great things and challenge Him to use your life as an
goals. Set high yet reasonable goals for yourself and start
example of His Blessings. Don’t be ambitious for the sake
taking incremental steps to achieving them. The future is
of ambition, or seek wealth for fame; these are things
not only for the youth so do not assume that your current
unbelievers seek after and often get, but they are otherwise
circumstances (for better or worse) will remain the same.
fleeting. Don’t fear the likelihood of defeat; indeed,
If you aspire to be like someone or something, actively seek
embrace the risk because oftentimes it is through this that
out how it can be done. The blessings of God are not finite
God manifests His greatness. That which the Devil thought
and what He is able to do for one, He can do for another, if
would be a mockery of you and God, as he did thinking the
we ask wisely.
shame of the cross would deter Jesus Christ, your Father in
Heaven will make into a thing of triumph. Have faith in
Maintain knowledge:
God and know that He is more than able to do all things if
Good looks and a great physique are quite attractive, but a
you believe in him. As the Lord begins to open doors to
sharper mind is worth more that its weight in gold. Simple
you, step out boldly and as you seize the bull by the horns
mathematics tells us one has a better chance of becoming
remember the words God spoke in Isaiah 41: 10:
an engineer than getting into the NBA. This is not to say
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ucf page 11

UCF Is On Facebook - Be A Fan!
As a church, we now have the opportunity to use some of the
technology available online as a tool in sharing the gospel
with the world around us. Our church now has a page on the
social networking site called Facebook and clips of Sunday
morning sermons and Wednesday night bible study teachings
are also readily available for viewing on the church's channel
(UCFArlington) on YouTube.

·

·
As of July 2010 facebook was reported as having over
500,000,000 active users. 50% of the active users logon to
facebook everyday. The average user has 130 friends and
these active users spend over 700 billion minutes per month
on facebook connecting and sharing all sorts of information,
both valuable and downright silly. The great commission
charges us to go into the world and make disciples of all
nations. The point is that the world is on Facebook and I
believe it has become another avenue we can use, as
believers, to bring the challenge of the great commission to
fruition.
This is by no means an advocacy for using facebook but if
you are already a user, you might as well use it to glorify God
by using it in sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. If you are
already on facebook then become a fan of "United Christian
Fellowship Of Arlington Texas" page and receive updates
made on the page. Once you are a fan, each time you
comment or "LIKE" any of the updates made on the page, you
are automatically making the update available for viewing by
all your facebook friends. This can potentially make the word
of God and the style of preaching we are blessed with in our
church available to millions of people through this medium.
Also, since I became a fan I have viewed some of the posted
clips and I have been amazed about some of the things I
missed while a sermon or lesson is preached/taught at
church. In other words, it can also be a valuable study tool.

·

It is time consuming and I don't have the time for
facebook. Yes it can be time consuming for
someone that is not disciplined, but for a disciplined
user, checking on updates should be no more than
the time you will normally use in checking and
responding to your email.
I don't want to open my facebook privacy to all
the fans of the churches facebook page. Actually
the fact that you are a fan of the page does not open
up your facebook privacy to anyone that is not on
your list of friends. All it does is to make you a
recipient of the updates made to the church's
facebook page.
I don't want a facebook account. Actually you don't
have to have a facebook account to view the
updates made to the page. Google the name of the
church and one of the results you will receive is a
link to the facebook page or you can key in the URL
specified below to get to the churches page. The
only downside to this option is that you can only view
without the ability to apply updates to the site.
http://www.facebook.com/posted.php?id=117758684926402

So join us online, become a fan, go to the YouTube channel
and share the clips with your
friends and loved ones. Do
what you can and help us in
using this platform to share
the glorious Gospel of our
Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ.
DSA

In sharing the benefits of the facebook page and Youtube site
with some of our members, these are some of the concerns
that has been brought to my attention along with my response
to the concerns:
WHERE DO YOU (WANT TO) GO FROM HERE? Contd.

“Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen
you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
We are God’s temple and a sacrament to His work in the world. Imagine the rejoicing that a
parent has when a child reaches the pinnacle of success. God wants to rejoice like such a parent, yet,
unlike that parent, He is more than able to see us through every step of the way. We are not of the world,
but while we are in it we can learn a lot to leave our mark as Christ did. Think big things and think
long-term. It is said that tomorrow never comes, but I will also add to that by saying “today never lasts.”
Where you go from here is already a foregone conclusion. You will go from here; the challenge
is where exactly do you want to go?